


Ghost Stories

by dahgger



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, Ghosts, Help I have no idea what I'm doing, alternate universe alternate universes?, is that a thing?, it should be, they/them pronouns for Pidge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 21:58:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7775194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahgger/pseuds/dahgger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance, Hunk, and Pidge just wanted to hunt for ghosts. Instead, they find themselves pulled into an inter-universe rebellion alongside Keith, Shiro, and two beings who may be their only allies in any universe, including their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ghost Stories

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on vvorlock's post about a Ghost Adventures AU. It ended up becoming an entirely different beast. Not beta read, so read at your own risk as far as errors are concerned. Also my first work on the archive, so I'm learning formatting as I go. I finished this chapter at like 12:30 in the morning so who knows if it's even coherent. I apologize in advance.
> 
> Rated T for cursing.

"Yeah, this isn't gonna work," Hunk says, eyes narrowed at the footage on his laptop screen. "No offense, but leave the editing to me. And when did you even film this stuff?"

Lance, leaning over the chemistry notes strewn across the carpet, taps the enter key to end the video. "Oh, you know, here and there. I really like this part here." He scrolls the bar backwards only to play a clip of a kickball slamming Pidge in the head on the quad. He snickers and rewinds to play it again. 

"Yeah, yeah, real funny," Pidge grumbles from Hunk's other side and snatches the computer off his lap, leaving the screen frozen in the moment just after contact. Pidge sets it delicately on the carpet and proceeds to mash out a command that deletes the whole segment. 

Lance's sniggers die down, then start right back up at the view of the faint green-yellow bruise on the real-life Pidge's temple.

"And you can't call it that. Wasn't Ghost Stories the name of some really bad anime from like years ago?" Hunk asks, looking over Pidge's shoulder at the screen.

"And at least a couple of shows that already exist," Pidge says, evaluating and deleting another part, this one of Hunk covered in various paints with a drawing of a dick on his cheek. 

"Well, Ghost Adventurers, then," Lance says, waving a hand at Pidge from over Hunk's lap. 

"That's literally just Ghost Adventures with an 'R' added in," Hunk says, frowning at Lance either due to the suggestion or the inclusion of the clip with the dick on his face. “We marathoned like three seasons of it last week."

"Well, I'd like to see you suggest something!" Lance says, cross. He folds his arms over his chest. "Why should I have to do all the work?"

"Neither of us has even agreed to your little ghost show, Lance," Pidge says, shutting the laptop and pushing it forward. "Some of us have things to do. Like chemistry homework." 

"Oh, come on! We go to a school that is literally known for its paranormal activity! You can't tell me you aren't curious to check it all out!"

Hunk and Pidge exchange a look.

"Nope, can't say I am."

“Not interested."

Lance sighs dramatically and drapes himself across Hunk's lap. Chemistry notes crumple under his ass. "You guys!"

"We're not doing it, Lance." Pidge eyes the laptop again, hands twitching. Unable to resist its call, Pidge slides it back within reach. "Hunk, stop letting him guilt you."

"I'm not!" Hunk says, looking down at Lance with a conflicted expression.

Lance lets his lip wobble. Sadly.

"Okay fine!" Hunk says, throwing up his hands, just as Pidge says, "Hunk!"

"Hunk!" Pidge repeats.

"I'm sorry, okay!" Hunk says. "I just can't help it when he does the thing!"

Pidge glares at him. 

Hunk shrugs back.

"Fine. You-- do whatever. But I'm not getting involved."

"Piiiiiidge!" Lance wriggles his way halfway off of Hunk and onto Pidge's legs.

"What the-- get off!" Pidge shoves him hard enough to roll off the both of them and onto the remaining papers, many of which belong to Pidge. Pidge lets out a high-pitched hiss and Lance scrambles off of them and into a kneeling position opposite Hunk.

"Please?" Lance begs, blinking tears into his eyes. "Just the once! If you don't like it then we don't have to do it again! Come on! For me?"

Pidge stares, unimpressed. 

A low whine escapes the back of Hunk's throat, and Pidge backhands his shoulder.

"I can't help it! It affects me!" Hunk says.

Lance continues to stare into Pidge's eyes.

"You are disturbingly good at that," Pidge says. "Fine. I'll do it."

"Yeah!" Lance leaps to his feet, both fists pumping.

"But only the once!" Pidge projects over Lance's cheers.

"That's all I need! This won't let you down, I promise!" Lance grins so wide it scrunches up his eyes.

Pidge "hmphs." 

Hunk lets himself be caught up in the energy and mirrors Lance's smile.  
_________________

"I don't know about you, but this is really starting to feel like a bad idea. To me, I mean. Anyone else?”

“Shut up, Hunk,” Pidge grumbles, hands clasped white-knuckled around the homemade EMF device. They take a small step closer to him.

Lance’s grin drops into a pout. “Come on you two! It’s not even a big deal! We get in, run around for a couple of hours and we’re done!”

“That’s if we can get the door open,” Pidge mutters. 

“Oh, right. Yeah, how are we supposed to do that? Isn’t it locked?” Hunk surveys the small building ahead.

The Ford house is an old structure, left over from the family who donated the land for the university. Once upon a time it would have been considered the grandest mansion in the South; now, it is a small, two-story construction abandoned save for routine upkeep.

Except that no one has ever been seen going in or out, so Hunk has no idea how that “upkeep” is supposed to happen. Or who has the key.

"Uh, you're supposed to ask. C'mon, get the camera out." Lance motions dramatically, and Hunk turns on the camcorder and fidgets until it settles comfortably on his shoulder.

"Ready?" Hunk asks. 

Lance holds up a three, then a two, and then points at the camera. He then pastes a grin on his face.

"Hey, Lance here, with Pidge and Hunk. Hunk, show 'em you and Pidge."

Hunk turns for the camera to catch Pidge typing on their phone, EMF detector shoved into the crook of their arm. He flips it to face himself and waves awkwardly before returning it to its original position facing Lance.

"Thanks, big guy. We're here at Garrison University's famed Ford House, one of the most haunted locations in the state. Tonight we'll be trying to catch a glimpse of the famed Ford Ghost or the poltergeist that's rumored to haunt this place."

As he speaks, a strange shadow moves in front of the house. Hunk narrows his eyes at it. A trick of the light? Hopefully?

"--and he's supposed to let you in! So what do you say we give it a shot?"

"This is a ridiculous idea."

"Thank you, Pidge, for your vote of confidence!" Lance's grin cracks the slightest bit, but he pulls it back up. "Let's go! Follow me!"

He turns and then screeches. Hunk startles and joins in. Pidge fumbles and drops their phone.

Pidge bends to pick it up and turns on the flashlight app as Lance stomps up to the shadowy figure ahead. They direct the flow of light toward the door just as Lance stops in front of it.

"Keith," Lance hisses.

"Keith" winces and blinks at the light. He brings a hand up to block it and shakes his head. He uses his free hand to lower the red bandana that covers the lower half of his face. "What the fuck? Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you!" Lance crosses his arms and shifts his weight onto one leg. "So! What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first!"

"I asked you second!"

"Shut up!" Pidge says, flicking off the light and marching up to them. "You're both too loud! Security could hear and then we'll all get caught sneaking around! And this has been fun and all, but I have a chemistry test to study for--we have a chemistry test to study for. So I'm gonna head back to the dorm and do that. See you." With that, Pidge turns.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lance grabs the collar of their jacket and yanks them back. "You already agreed to this, no take-backsies!"

Hunk watches as Keith mutters the phrase "take-backsies" to himself with the kind of incredulousness reserved for the behaviors of toddlers and corrupt politicians.

"Let go of me!" Pidge yanks their jacket out of Lance's hand and straightens it. "You're not helping your case here!"

"You promised!"

Hunk directs the camera back towards the door where Keith crouches and begins fiddling with the lock. "Uh, guys?"

"I did not! I made no promises!"

"Guys?"

"You gave me your word!"

The door swings open to reveal a dark hall. Hunk can just make out the outline of a staircase in the dimness.

"That's not what happened and you know it!"

Keith is swallowed by the darkness, out of reach of the street lamps.

"Oooooh-kay, did anyone just see that? Just me? Alright then."

Lance finally turns to see the open door. His face goes white, then red. "Oh no he didn't!"

"Maybe we really shouldn't," Hunk begins, but Lance is already grabbing Pidge's collar (again) and Hunk's arm and barreling through the entrance.

"You did not just pick the lock on the door when you're supposed to ask the ghost to let you in?" Lance calls. 

There's no answer from the darkness.

"Wow, if even Lance knows it's a shitty idea." Pidge turns their phone light on again.

"Shut it." Lance lets go of them and narrows his eyes. He takes a couple steps further in and yells, "Didn't you get expelled or something? Are you even allowed to be here right now?"

"Shut the fuck up!" floats down from the second floor, and Lance is up the stairs in seconds.

"Hey, slow down!" Hunk carefully navigates his way up the narrow staircase, Pidge at his heels. 

When they reach the top, they find Lance and Keith staring off into space.

"What? What is it?" Hunk swivels the camera between the pair of them and finally focuses on the sight through the doorway.

A body in the center of the floor.

Hunk screams.

"Shut up, shut up!" A gloved hand finds its way to cover his mouth. Keith doesn't even look away from the body. "Do you want to get caught now?"

"Well, the body makes this a little more incriminating," Hunk tries to say, but it comes out as "Mmmm mmm mmmm mm mmm mmm."

Lance is the first to dart forward and lay a hand at the body's--man's? He looks like a man?--throat. "He's got a pulse," he says, and he wastes no time in attempting to pull the man off the ground.

Unfortunately, he doesn't get very far. Lance is a twig, and the man is built.

But the movement brings the man's head to face them, and Hunk sees the prominent scar across the bridge of his nose and the strange tuft of white hair.

The man has a mechanical arm.

"Shiro!" Keith rushes to the man and cradles his face? What? When he doesn't react--because, unconscious--Keith hefts his free (mechanical) arm over his shoulder and assists Lance in pulling him up. 

"We can get him to my room," Pidge says, eyes glinting behind their glasses even in the dim light. "No roommate, remember?"

"Or we can get him, I don't know, to a hospital?" Hunk asks, the voice of reason as always.

"No hospital," Keith says.

"Why not?" Hunk asks.

Keith finally meets his eyes. 

"Shiro has been legally dead for over a year."

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to [vvorlock](%E2%80%9Dvvorlock.tumblr.com%E2%80%9D) again, this time for "take-backsies". Thanks for reading!


End file.
